Roy and Mary Garrett, residents of Escondido, CA, and longtime library patrons, are suing the city over its decision to privatize the Escondido Public Library (EPL). Officials voted in August to turn library operations over to Library Systems and Services (LS&S), a private for-profit company that manages public libraries, to forestall a projected citywide pension shortfall. In October, the city council voted to enter into a ten-year contract with the firm. Many residents have opposed the move from the beginning, noting that city officials pursued the plan without asking for input or presenting alternatives.

On July 6, Judge Henry Walsh ruled that Simi Valley legally left the Ventura County Library system in December, according to The Ventura County Star. That means the town doesn’t have to abide by a Calfornia state law that took effect in January, which would have required Simi Valley to show cost savings before privatizing […]